Police on firebug alert as risks rise with scorching temps

By Nino Bucci and Caroline Zielinski

Serial arsonists and suspected firebugs will be monitored by police on Saturday as Victoria faces extreme bushfire conditions for the first time this summer.

And police are hoping the bushfire season will lead to breakthroughs in a series of unsolved arson cases since Black Saturday.

Temperatures are predicted to soar to more than 40 degrees in parts of the state on Saturday, with extreme fire warnings issued in the Mallee, Wimmera and northern country regions, and severe conditions forecast for south-west, north central and central Victoria.

Under Operation Firesetter, police target high-risk locations and times, and persons of interest, during days of severe, extreme or code red fire danger. Firesetter was launched last month and runs until March.

These people of interest include some linked to unsolved fires. The most serious of these is a March bushfire that destroyed 16 houses at Dereel, south of Ballarat, and the torching of six houses over two years near Kerang, attributed to a serial arsonist who remains on the loose.

Advertisement

Other arson attacks include 16 fires early last year, including one that destroyed a house, near Koroit, and at least 16 fires that caused $500,000 damage near Rochester in late 2009.

A police spokesman said the Moorabool Crime Investigation Unit was still investigating the bushfire at Dereel.

The blaze may also have been lit accidentally or recklessly. Serious fires in Aberfeldy and Epping last summer were allegedly started recklessly.

Penalties for recklessly causing a fire could include 15 years' jail and fines up to $34,000.

Common causes of reckless fires are burning off or bonfires, cigarette butts, campfires, car exhausts, machinery, the use of angle grinders and welding equipment, and flares. There were 4400 bushfires last season.

Country Fire Authority spokesman Jason Leigh said crews were preparing for a ''bad fire day'' on Saturday. He said CFA crews would be watching the grassland fire at Toolleen, east of Bendigo, that burnt more than 1130 hectares on Thursday night, as trees would most likely still be smouldering.

''They really want to get on top of this before tomorrow, otherwise it could start up again,'' he said. It took 200 firefighters and a water-bombing aircraft to bring the fire under control in two hours. Thermal imaging cameras would now be used to check for ''hot spots''.

Mr Leigh said a vineyard had been affected by the blaze and there were reports of stock loss.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Terry Ryan said Melbourne would reach 38 degrees, while temperatures in northern Victoria were expected to reach 40 due to northerly winds.

A cool change will hit Melbourne about 7pm on Saturday when south-westerly winds blow into the city.

The one-day high temperature is unusual, Mr Ryan said, as temperatures usually build up before a scorching day.

''Usually we get a gradual build-up, but this time is just one rapid day of hot air in Melbourne,'' he said.

A sudden, strong wind change from the coast will then see temperatures drop to a forecast top of 20 degrees on Sunday.